oncidium wildcat done blooming

[Atzau]

ok, so my oncidium just dropped it's last bloom so I've cut the spent spike. it looks like it's starting a new shoot (circled in orange)...there's something that looks like another little nub on the other side (in yellow), will that develop into another shoot? and what's that circled in green? just something that will wilt along with the outer leaf when it's time?



next question... that newly developing shoot looks like it'll grow right it of the pot. there's room in the pot but on the other side, in the front where the back bulb is. Should it be repotted into the same pot, just repositioned? and when should the repot be done? i only see the start of one new root starting to emerge around the area of the new shoot. plus, the bulbs are progressively getting higher and higher... how does one pot this up to cover the roots of the newest bulbs without totally burying the oldest bulb?



thanks in advance for all you're knowledge!

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[My Green Pets]

Congrats on new growth!

You may find this thread interesting

[judith_arquette]

Originally Posted by CambriaWhat

Congrats on new growth!

You may find this thread interesting

Great thread, very helpful, thanks for posting the link!

[Atzau]

cambria, i love your pictures! have they bloomed for you yet?

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[silken]

All three of those are new growth eyes. They could all grow, but for me it is usually 1 or 2 that develop. If something should happen to the ones that grow, the other one/s sit dormant and can grow if needed.

When re-potting, always try and put the old back bulbs against one side of the pot and leave room at the sides where recent growth is for the new growths. Some of these Oncidiums are devils in that they do grow higher and higher making it difficult to re-pot. I have received Onc. from the nursery where the older bulbs are almost totally buried and they seem fine. So I would try and plant this at an angle and depth that the newer growths are close to media level. That one old back bulb furthest back, I might even cut off it makes a large improvement on how you can pot this. Normally I wouldn't just cut old bulbs off as they support the new ones. But that one could go.

It's best to re-pot when new roots are just starting to grow and before they are long enough to be easily broken.

It looks like you could probably use the same pot or one size larger. They shouldn't be too over-potted.

[My Green Pets]

Great advice there from silken.

The sad news is that I moved in February and could not bring my orchids with me. No idea if it bloomed this summer or not...but I'd like to think it did

[Atzau]

Originally Posted by silken

.... So I would try and plant this at an angle and depth that the newer growths are close to media level. That one old back bulb furthest back, I might even cut off it makes a large improvement on how you can pot this. Normally I wouldn't just cut old bulbs off as they support the new ones. But that one could go.

just for the sake of being absolutely sure... it's this back bulb I circled right? sorry, I'm still a total newb when it comes to non-phals. I'd hate to pop of the wrong one! oh, and how would i do it? twist it off or cut it off at the rhizome?



and then is just repot into the same pot but move it forward as to give the shoots coming from the newest pbulb room to grow?


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[silken]

Yes, maybe dab some cinnamon on the cut before potting. Only cut it off if it prevents you from moving the plant back enough to give the new shoots growing from the newer bulbs room to grow. It will keep you from having to use a larger pot and avoid root rot. I don't always do this but it looks old, leafless and like it can be taken off to make for a better potting job.

[Atzau]

thanks silken. I'll let you guys know when i work up the courage to repot! last time i repotted my other oncidium it lost all it's roots (or that was the way they were... it was a first repot out to change the medium from moss to bark mix) and poor thing had to grow all new roots. ( it's doing well now though, thank goodness).

should i repot into sphag moss or bark mix?

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[silken]

I don't like straight moss but a mix works well for these type in my conditions.